The present invention relates to disk transfer devices that transfer a disk inserted from a disk insertion opening to a playback position using a belt that engages the disk edge.
Japanese utility model laid-open publication no. 60-106250, Japanese laid-open publication no. 2-7263, have proposed disk transfer devices that transfer a disk to a playback position revolving a belt that engages with a disk edge. In these devices, a pair of belts, separated by a distance that allows each to engage an opposite portion of the edge of a disk, revolve around pulleys rotating near an insertion opening. A disk inserted through the disk insertion opening, once it engages the belts, is supported between the belts and moved by the revolving belts in a direction in the plane of the disk's surface. In the first of the above devices, the belts are urged toward each other by a spring so that the disk inserted through the disk insertion opening is securely supported. In the latter device, the pair of belts is always kept apart by a spring. When a disk is inserted through the disk insertion opening, a plunger forces the belts together to support the disk.
In both devices, each of the pair of belts rotates around an axis of a pulley positioned toward the disk insertion opening. In order to support and transfer the disk to the playback position, it was necessary to insert the disk deep into the disk insertion opening until it was supported between inward-facing portion of the belts. Of course, when a disk is ejected, it is not possible to project the disk very far out of the disk insertion opening because it must remain supported between the inward-facing portions of the belts which is to the rear of the front edges of the pulleys that support the belts. This made it difficult to insert and remove disks. Especially in the case of removing disks, the user had to hold both the top and bottom surfaces of the disk, thus contaminating the recording surface of the disk.